For the first time since ages, you had free time on your hands. It started as another normal day of doing chores, chores, and more chores, but the process was soon interrupted when luck came in to rescue you. A tailor visited the household today - a young woman that wore clothing with fashionable frills everywhere. She sauntered into the house with a large luggage that probably contained her fine sewing kit and since your stepmother didn't want to embarrass herself with you, she made you hide. You only saw this new stranger from far away, but you were actually glad you didn't have to meet her; she would turn up her nose at the sight of you for sure.
An excited smile on your face, you scurried through the hallways. Your daily hair combing for your stepsisters was interrupted and now you had hours left of free time. Reaching the one dirty room that you resided in, you shut the door behind you. Stepmother never installed a lock on the door, but it would have to make do. If your precious sisters had something important going on, she wouldn't bother to check on you. Your bare feet stepping over the ashes that stained the tiled floor, you crossed the small space and went to rummage through the big pile of unused, forgotten junk.
It was the perfect place to hide your treasure.
Having found what you were searching for, you pulled the material out from the dark gap your arm had squeezed through. What came out was an old, wooden coat hanger that was draped of mismatched fabric. You didn't have a mannequin, so you had to be creative. A mixed array of red and pink colors, the fabric did not come close to looking like a dress at all. You had been too busy lately to work on this - which meant you had to make up most of it today.
There was only a month left until the ball arrived. Within this time frame, you had to gather the courage to ask for stepmother's permission to go...as well as finish up a decent-looking dress.
Humming a sweet, soft tune under your breath, you pulled out a small sewing box from the pile. Your finger carefully maneuvering around, you picked up the small needle that glimmered coolly between the sunlight. Slipping a pink thread through the hole of the end of the needle, you gracefully tied the knots that secured it.
You looked at the mess of tatters in front of you with a determined face; it was time to get started.
An hour passed. Another few. Fabric coming together, the torso part of the dress was slowly beginning to look like a dress. The warm shade of pink wrapped to where your waist would've laid and the long sleeves were stitched together with enough space inside to fit your arms. Red fabric darted the edge of the sleeves, picturing up pretty details of flowers. A red flower brooch was also stuck onto the front of the dress, sitting where your heart would be.
Admiring your art for a few moments, you flinched when you heard the sound of your nickname from the distance. "Cinder! Where are you?! Why haven't you started making supper, you insolent child?!"
Relieved that she chose to call for you instead of barging into the room, you shoved your work in progress back into its hidden place. Brushing yourself off and straightening yourself out, you quickly got out of the room.
When the kitchen appeared, you were in for a surprise. Standing in the dining room were Rosa and Delphine, twirling and giggling together. Each of them wore ballroom dresses that magnificently reached the floor. Exquisite lining, laces, and patterns dotted each of them. Rosa wore a pink-orange dress, while Delphine wore a midnight blue gown. The two of them looked like princesses to you.
Your heart twisted in envy. The two sisters then paused in their celebration, looking over at you in surprise. As they did that, it made you feel like the true outcast that you were. The happiness from earlier that came from working on your own dress was gone; all you wished to do now was disappear.
The meaner of the two, Rosa, quickly broke the silence. Leering at you with dark eyes, she came up to you and smoothened her dress out purposely. "How do you like our dresses, Cinder?" she asked, hungrily taking in the frown that was etched on your face.
"They're very beautiful," you replied through clenched teeth. The smile was the fakest it could be, but you were so tired of everything. Why was it that you can never have any good, uninterrupted days?
She gave you a pitying look and shook her head dramatically. "What a shame," she sighed. Her orbs slowly analyzed your white, worn out dress up and down. "You will never get the pleasure to feel so queenly, will you?"
Delphine sauntered behind her and snickered. "Good one sister. After all, Prince Cameron would never take notice of her."
"Prince Cameron!" exclaimed Rosa, whirling to face her sister. A dazed, lovesick expression appeared on her face and she clasped hands with Delphine, who looked about just the same. The two giggled and jumped excitedly together. "We'll get the chance to dance with him at the ball. He surely can't resist us when we look this good!"
"He's so handsome, isn't he?" Delphine gushed, slightly blushing as she thought of him.
"I will marry him."
"No, I will!"
You watched as this ridiculous scene occurred before your very own eyes, growing agitated. What was the deal with this Prince they were always talking about? Unlike them, you didn't have the time to think about such trivial subjects. Love was the least of your worries and it was something you didn't care much about. Additionally, what your stepsisters had with this said-Prince wasn't love - it was attraction from looks and status. You couldn't stand it. You couldn't stand for how shallow they were. You couldn't stand for how unfair it was.
It was hard to watch. Your jealousy was burning you alive.
Slipping past the pair, you were stopped instantly. They wouldn't leave you alone. "Cinder! Tell me, who's going to marry Prince Cameron?" Rosa's demanding voice stilled you and you turned back around to see the two sisters waiting expectedly of you.
Play it safe.... You knew you should play it safe, but you've always been playing safe. And what did that lead you to? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. For years, you were their doormat to step on; the more time goes on though, the more your patience was wearing thin. Like right now? All you wanted to do was wipe off the smirks that mocked your dreams. How could your goddamn father do this to you? You would've preferred to become an orphan than live in this wretched family.
The thoughts combined, fueling your anger, and the words finally blurted themselves out in a quiet but firm voice. "Neither of you."
Silence filled the three of you and for a moment, all you could hear were the loose droplets that fell from the sink. Drip. Drip. Drip.
"What did you say?!" Delphine snarled, balling her hands into fists. The other sister was calmer for some reason. Holding up her hand with a passive face, she quieted the red-head, who looked at her in bewilderment. Gingerly picking up her skirts, she glided over to you, grinning at you with her canines looking sharp and evil.
"Cinder, Cinder, Cinder," she cooed, slapping your cheeks lightly before pinching them. "Is it because you also want to marry him?" You widened your eyes and she snickered at your reaction. "I'm right, aren't I. Isn't that cute. Little Cinder thinks she could actually show her disgusting face in front of royalty."
"What is the meaning of this?" Another person swept into the room, somehow making the atmosphere even more tense. Rosa let go of your cheeks and spun around fearfully. You peered over the young lady's shoulder and made eye contact with the familiar beady eyes. A lump arose in your throat. You were supposed to be cooking by now, but you haven't even started.
It was strange to you how Rosa and Delphine were also afraid of stepmother. "Cinder wasn't cooking, so we scolded her for you, mother," Delphine lied, making you drop your jaw in shock. Your stepmother's gaze pierced into you and you shivered in terror.
"Useless! Are you trying to starve us?!" your stepmother screamed at you. She was fuming and shaking because of how angry she was. "You don't want to cross me again, Cinder, I promise you that. Get the meal done in under an hour or you're sleeping with the rats tonight."
She left the room and the two stepsisters followed right behind her, their faces mixed in a fine expression of relief and guilt.
Alone again at last. Bustling into the kitchen, you began to wash the vegetables that were needed for this meal. Submerging the green edible food into the cold water, you concentrated on what needed to be done. If you kept yourself busy, it would help you ignore the tears that threaten to fall out.
To distract yourself, the thought of the umbrella came into your mind. It was placed among the pile of hidden treasure in your room, since you were afraid someone would find it and wonder where you got it from. The dark red-pink shades of maroon colored your vision and you imagined the carved, warm wood that was the hilt of it. Then you imagined the person that it belonged to...Blaise Wellington. His dark green eyes were already so memorable to you.
You never planned to keep the umbrella; you were actually going to return it to him soon.